Fusee flare



Jan. 2, 1940. P. E. DAMON 2,185,800

FusEE FLARE Filed July 2e, 1937 ,M1740 llama/z M y j Half/74,1@

Patented Jan. 2, 1940 NTED STPES @l-TENT FFIICE v 2,185,800v y FUSEE Philip E. Damon, Ames, Iowa Appiicaiion July 26, 1937, seal-No. 155,752"

7 Claims. (C1. sv-553" after one use it can be thrown away.

My invention relates' to flares of the kind which are used as signals on highways, and asia cheap portable light.

It is my general object to provide a cheap, re-

f liable flare which can be ignited in a few seconds night by trucks and vehicle drivers as an emergency signal. I thus attain the quick positive starting action of the fusee together with the long burning qualities of the flare.

In this connection, it is one of my purposes to overcome many objectionable and disagreeable features of flares now in use. A particular object is to provide a cap which `will protect the wick and inflammable material and can be adjusted to position to serve as a. protector against wind or rain..

One of my particular objects is to provide a eflare that will ignite in a few seconds in an eX- `-ily in a strong wind or rain'.

An additional purpose is to provide a flare of such simple and inexpensive construction that .In this connection it' is my purpose to provide such a cheap and simple flare which,-however, will prevent the escape offuel oil or fumes. n

Withthese and other objects in view,-my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my signal system, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more f ully set forth,

pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an elevation of a wick sealed-filare embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view enlarged, the metal cap -being fshowninverticalsection.

Figure 3 is another `elevation showing the metal cap. removed and held in shielding position.v

such cap.

Figure 5 is a top or planview of the top ofthe" restricted neck of the ilare body;l and i Figure 6 is a-side elevation of my flare witha modified form of fiamefshield.

The are of my invention consists primarily of a suitable container iilledwith kerosene or other fuel o il havingawick projecting upwardly abovev the container. I have shown am o the container in the form of a"cylindricalcamwith a top Il' which `is-"convei'r and terminates'in an' 'upwardly extended restricted r'1eck"I2.4

disc-likefmemh'er I 3,best `shown in Iiig'uresy 4 'and 5. The wick Ill extend'si from "the fue1"h`oldi`ng` part oflthe reservoir" or container lupwardly through the hole I5 atA the center ofthe topmember I3 and projects upwardly as shown.` Gener- 10' ally it isheld in plac'e: by friction, although it can be fastenedbysome'- adhesivel notisoluble in the fuelV oil. l VIt is importantthat provision be made* to permit equalizingof pressurein'side and'outside'the:15-

container -when the; wick is lighted; .This-,lof

course, can be accomplished by'almos'tfany alf-- rangement 'which='willj permit lair passage alongL side the wick between the wick and the container or throughl holes .or ,slots adjacent to oraround 20. `the wick opening.v Ifisome 'suchiequalizationj is not provided, the air in the container Vwill expand, by reason of the heat generated by theiourningv ame, and will be forcedpupward through the wick, causingliquid fuelto b ethrownrout into 25.

with an'anniilarchanhel l1 in its upper surface..

the equalization ofpressure, which is desirable;I they also aor'd"meansfcirthekerosene'oi" other" oil to escape'fr'om'th'e reservoir. If oil' may so" backint'o'therese'rvoir. o

One of the'disagreeable features'offflares nofw in commonuse'is that'tl'iey leak'kersenebr''other''` fuel and allow the escape of fumes and otherTfueL-'f L..

The fumes are a source of danger and annoyance to the driver of thevehicleand possibly to passengers and sometimes they also have "a" very; bad effect upon the goods being'haule'd." The'v escape of kerosene fumes into a' cargo ofbutter, forinstance, is almost a tragedy to thedriver." Y

It has been almost impossible in the past'to avoid this escapeof fumes'from the fuel eiland the diiiiculty is, ofcourse, increasedin -aresthat are used more than once. f

To eiect asatisfactory seal to keep the fuelio from leaking out oi the container or thewick,.I provide a cover for that portion of the wick which projects upwardly from the container.y .The cover is indicated at I8 and isinthe form of' adowri.`

wardly opening cap, the edge of which is received in the channel I7. This cap is preferably made of an iniiammable material or one which is fusible so that it is destroyed as a. cover and to afford free access of air to thewick when the flare is lighted.

Preferably I employ a cover I 8 of Celluloid or other similar material. It must not be impregnable to the liquid fuel and the fumes thereof and must be stiff enough to protect the wick. Celluloid and similar products havel another advantage. They are soluble in acetone and I preferably use a little acetone in which some Celluloid y has been dissolvedas an adhesive to seal the cover to the container, the adhesive being indicated at I9 in Figure 4.

In the arrangement here shown, the holes I6 afford means for equalizing the pressure inside and outside the reservoir I when the flare is being burned. Thus the holes afford means for allowing -air to .enter the reservoir to take the place' of fuelsupplied to the wick.

The constructionis such that if there should be any surplus fuel around the wick at any time before the nare is burned, such surplus can readily iiow back into the reservoir, when flare is in vertical position for lighting.

The groove II helps in properly positioning the cover I 8 and affords a channel toreceive the sealing means.

It is important to be able 'to light the flare quickly and easily so that it will almost instantly function as a iiare. For accomplishing this objective, I give the cover I8 an outside coating either of friction ignitable material or of a little slower burning material, thiscoating being indicated at 20. If the coating 20 is of friction ignitcol able material, it can be ignited by friction in the ordinary way.

If it is of slower burning material, a small amount of friction ignitable'material, indicated at 2|, can be put on top of the material 20, as illustrated particularly in Figure 4. For a relatively slow burning material or-coating the following formula will suce with the parts mixe in-substantially the proportions given:

Acetone-enough to make the'mix like vmolasses 4For a friction ignitable coating the following formula with the parts in substantially the proportions given may lbe used: Y I

y Grams Chlorate of potash 34 Sulphur 2 Manganese dioxide 4 Potassiumdichromate 5 Oxide of iron 7 Celluloid 2 Acetone-enough to; make a mix like molasses.

If desired, a piece of adhesive 22 carrying a strip of striking material 23 may be provided for coacting with the ignitable material on the cap.

I provide la metal cap 24 adapted to slip overk and frictionally engage the neck I2 as shown in Figure 2 for example.

4 At the lower edge,` they -,cap 24zhas a iiaredv bell-like ange 25, the lower edge of which may rest on the top II when the cap 2li is installed.

The cap 24 is connected to an annealed piece of Wire or the like 26 which in turn is fastened to the top Il or some part of the reservoir IU. The wire 26 is of any suitable material by which the cap may be held fastened to the flare body and stiff enough to hold the cap-'24 in any position to which it` may be adjusted. Thus, in Figure 2, the cap .24 is shown installed in position for protectingthe cover I8 during shipment and storage and ordinary transportage of a. flare.

In Figure 3 I have shown the parts in their positions when the iiare is placed on the highway to serve as a signal, the cap 24 having been lifted oif the flare to a position where it serves as a Wind break and shelter and the flare having been lighted. On account of the'nature of the member 26, the cap 42li can be adjusted to a variety of positions. For instance, in Figure 3, it is shown in4 full lines in position to serve as protection against the Wind andin dotted lines in another possible position. The strength Aof the wind determines the correct position for the cap 2t.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a iiare by which the ob-jects originally set forth are attained. The holes I6 afford pressure equalizing means. The cover I8 affords a means to prevent the escape of fumes or fuel oil yet is easily inflammable or meltable so that a quick burning flare 'can be had. The flare can be quickly and easily lighted. The use of the cover I8 made of Celluloid or low temperature fusible material, affords what is practically an instantaneously operating flare. The cap'l 24 protects theparts which might otherwise be injured during transportation and handling. This cap also functions to provide protection against wind or rain. It is adjustable to any position permitted by the Wire 26 and it is obvious that this wire may be of such length as will affordi almost any desired adjustment yof the metal cap. I` have found that by adjustingthe 'cap to position with lthe large open end-close to the wick and the f tests that this cap serves as anY effective guard at an angle of almost 180 degrees. That is to say, if set directly into the wind, it will still function to protect against the wind even though the wind should shift almost 90 degrees in either'. direction. The flame is good enough so that it can be seen from every Side, even from the side in which the cap 24 is located.

In nearly all cases where metal protective caps are used, they accumulate soot and carbon, especially in periods when there is a light wind or no wind. With an arrangment of the kind herein shown, there is very little accumulation of soot on the metal cap because the flame is not surrounded by it but always has one side open. Also because the cap is on they Windward side of the flame, the flame is sol protected and tends to spread behind the cap. This is illustrated in Figures 3 and 6. The flame is readily seen from the Windward side of the cap. In a strong wind it is forced down around the neck I2 and helps vaporize the kerosene or other fuel.

Without the protection of cap 24 the wick itself would have to act as the wind protector. You would then have your flame (a small one) only on the leeward side of the wick and none on the windward side. With a strong wind striking and cooling the wick, there would not be enough kerosene vaporized to supply the flame and your flare would be extinguished.

The action of my cap 24 is entirely different (and I think better) than in the ordinary protector with holes. The holes in the ordinary protector permit cold air to strike the wick which may extinguish the flare-proof of this lies in the fact that to extinguish them you simply blow through one of the holes. You cant do this with my are because cap 24 has no holes.

The cap 24 so functions that the wick is in the center of the ame and no cold Wind reaches the Wick. y

In Figure 6 I have shown av modified form of the device. In this form the device is intended to be like that already described with the exception that instead of the cap 24, I provide a shieldV It is my purpose in writing my vclaims to make them cover any modifications or changes in construction or arrangement of parts or use of materials which may be within thescope of my invention and such claims.

I claim:

1. In a flare structure, a hollow body for containing fuel, a wick in the top of thebody, .a non-iniiammable cap adapted to cover and protect the wick and rest on the body, and a stifrly bendable element secured to the body and to the cap and adapted to be bent to position for holding the cap in position to cooperate with the body for wholly covering the wick, or holding the cap in positions to permit the wick to be ignited and to then shield the wick from wind or driving rain.

2. In a are structure, a hollow body with a reduced upwardly extending wick holding neck, awick projecting through the neck, a non-inflammable cap having a portion adapted to frictionally fit over the neck whereby the cap will enclose the projecting portion of the wick for storage and transportation, and a stiilly bendable member connecting cap and the body to prevent accidental loss of the cap, said member being capable of being adjusted to hold the cap in position to shield the wick from the wind and yet permit the wick to burn, and to be bent to position where the cap is in its first-named position.

l 3. In a flare structure, a hollow body with a a wick projecting through the neck, a non-inflammable caphaving a portion adapted to frictionally t over the neck and having a bellshaped portion projecting from said last-described portion, whereby the, cap will enclose the projecting portion of the wick for storage and transportation anda member connecting `the -cap and the body to Aprevent accidental loss of the cap, said member being capable of being bent without breaking to hold the cap in position to shield the wick from wind and yet permit the wick to burn, and to be bent to position where kthe cap is in its first-named position.

4. In a are structure, a hollow body for containing fuel, a wick in the top of the body, a

.reduced upwardly extending wick holding neck, i

shield and a stily bendable element secured to the body and` to the shield whereby the shield can be repeatedly adjusted to positions at-diiferent angles and heights and at different points circumferentially around the wick. i

5. In a flare, a hollow body, a wick projecting through the top thereof, a hollow cap of fusible material, not impregnable by fuel oil or fuel oil fumes, overlying and covering the projecting wick end, and friction ignitable material on the y flare, adapted when ignited to lfuse the cap.

6. In a are, a hollow body, a wick projecting through the top thereof, a hollow cap of material adapted to be destroyed by heat, not impregnable by fuel oil or fuel oil fumes, overlying 'and covering the projecting wick end, with its edge sealed to the body spaced from the wick, said body having vents between theedge of the cap and the wick.

'7. In a are, a hollow body having a closed top portion, a wick projecting through the top` portion, a hollow inflammable cap `surrounding the wick having an edge thereof secured to said top portion forming a sealed space around'the wick, said top portion .having a venting passage initially communicating between the interior of the body and said sealed space and adapted to provide communication between the interior of the body and the atmosphere when the seal formed by the cap is destroyed.

. PHILIP E, DAMON. 

